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With the 2020 election approaching, we wanted to see how the American people felt about such a hot topic - raising the federal minimum wage. We asked respondents whether they were for or against raising the federal minimum wage.
The question of whether to raise the federal minimum wage has long been a hotly contested subject of political and economic debate.
Yet despite growing support from many Americans, little progress has been made. In fact, the federal minimum wage has not been raised since July of 2009 – the longest period America has ever gone without a rate increase since its creation in 1938.
Although some states have enacted their own minimum wage laws above the federal minimum of $7.25, only a handful have taken wages above $10. Moreover, 21 states sit stagnantly at or below the federal rate.
As of 2019, roughly 1.6 million Americans worked for a wage equal to or less than the federal minimum wage – a rate that fails to meet the basic standards of living in even the least expensive states. For two working adults with no children in Mississippi – the state with the lowest living wage – the basic hourly rate needed is $8.65. For a family with one child, that rate rises dramatically to $11.88.
It's apparent that Americans will continue to advocate for – or protest against – raising the federal minimum wage until a decision is reached. But who are the people on each side of the debate? Are there any similarities between those who agree versus those who disagree?
To figure it out, we surveyed over 2,000 Americans, asking them to select YES or NO to raising the minimum wage. If they voted YES, we asked them how much they would like it raised by. If they voted NO, they were asked to provide an explanation.
All survey participants were also asked to report their political affiliation, gender, age, degree, employment status and salary.
This finding coincides with the way national opinion has been heading for some time. As Americans become increasingly aware of poverty's grasp on vulnerable populations, such as people of color or those without a college education, many feel it's high time that fast food workers and grocery store clerks be able to support their families while still paying the utility bill.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic could also have played a part in influencing participants' answers. With tens of millions of Americans suddenly unemployed and looking for a way to make rent, many people are feeling that the current minimum wage essentially isn't enough.
While the majority opinion is crystal clear, it's their explanations that provide the most insight into how a simple difference in outlook can yield opposing viewpoints.
While the YES side may be more focused on the individual worker and their ability to succeed, those who made up the opposing side (19.7%) focused more on the well-being of business owners.
In the NO voters' rationales, only some explanations spoke to whether individuals themselves needed more money or not. Instead, most were focused on business owners and the effects on the economy, with many respondents citing that a rise in minimum wage would cause inflation and increase the cost of goods. They also expressed concern that increasing the wage would be too much for small businesses to handle financially, forcing them to resort to layoffs and fewer hires in the future.
The individual versus business debate is very present in current politics, so it's no surprise that there were stark differences in survey answers based on which political affiliation participants identified as.
93% of Democrats voted YES, while 7% voted NO. On the other hand, 66% of Republicans voted YES, while 34% voted NO, showing a clear divide in opinion based on political party – and also a larger divide within the Republican party specifically.
This, of course, could have been expected. Democratic candidates often use raising the minimum wage as part of their political platform, so it's understandable that those affiliated with the party would agree. Libertarians hold a very similar view to Republicans, with 68% voting YES and 32% voting NO. Of participants who identified themselves as No Affiliation, 80% voted YES and 20% voted NO.
The two categories that showed the least difference in opinion across groups were gender and age. The survey results revealed that men and women were split almost equally between each group.
83% of women surveyed voted YES and roughly 79% of men surveyed voted YES. Those who chose to not identify were split 50/50. There was even a near equal split in those who voted YES and wanted $15 or higher minimum wage – 52% were women, 47% were men and 1% chose not to identify.
However, there is a difference among genders when you look at each party independently. For example, 92% of Democratic females voted YES, while only 68% of Republican females voted YES. On the other hand, 96% of Democratic males voted YES and 64% of Republican males voted YES.
As for age, the results were dispersed evenly between people ranging from 18 to 65+. Between 79%-82% of all groups voted YES and between 18%-22% of all groups voted NO.
It may be surprising to see young and older generations so aligned, especially since polling has shown that older generations teeter more towards Republican values. But as illustrated clearly by the data, the cause for raising the minimum wage transcends party lines and generational differences.
All in all, according to the survey, men were almost right alongside women in their support for raising the minimum wage, and people of all generations seem to be aligned, too. Though there isn't a clear way to determine why this parallel exists at this specific time, it could possibly signify a change in opinion due to the economic shift during the pandemic. Or perhaps, this is one topic where people of different genders and ages have more in common than typically perceived.
In regard to employment status, the difference in opinion was relatively small but still present. The group with the lowest support for raising the minimum wage was students, with 74% saying YES and 26% saying NO. On the other hand, part-time and unemployed workers showed the most support for raising the minimum wage, with 84% and 83% saying YES, and 16% and 17% saying NO, respectively.
Another area that revealed a significant divide in opinion was that of ethnicity. Overall, Black and African American participants supported a raise in the minimum wage more than any other ethnicity, with 90% support. The other leading groups were Asian and Pacific Islander participants at 86%, and Hispanic and Latinx participants at 84%.
Participants who described themselves as White, Native American or American Indian, Other or Two or More Races had the lowest percentages of support, with 79%, 79%, 70%, and 76% support, respectively.
It's important to note that a majority of the votes (64%) came from White participants, while a minority of votes came from Native American or American Indians and people who identified as Other or Two or More Races. With a larger sample size, it's likely that these percentages would be higher.
Most people are in favor of raising the minimum wage
Across all demographics, people were generally in favor of raising the minimum wage by some amount, possibly due to shifting attitudes about the current economy.Many people stayed in line with the general opinions of their political party.
Raising the minimum wage is an action widely supported by many Democrats in office and criticized by many Republicans, and a good number of participants stayed within those party lines when voting.People varying in age, gender and employment status/degree levels all showed similar support despite their socioeconomic differences.
While research shows more young people and women sway toward the Democratic party, the survey showed little differentiation in support for raising the minimum wage when it comes to gender or age. There were also well-dispersed answers from all employment statuses and degree levels.The greatest difference in opinion exists among salaries and ethnicities.
Generally, those who earn a lower annual salary showed the most support, and those who earn a higher annual salary showed the least support. In a similar fashion, ethnicities that are typically marginalized in society voiced that they wanted to see the minimum wage increased, while a smaller percentage of White voters approved of an increase.One thing is certain: For the right choice regarding the minimum wage to be made, the country needs the honest input of Americans all across the board, no matter how they identify or how much money they make. Only then, when all perspectives are accounted for, can valuable change be made possible.
With the 2020 election approaching, we wanted to see how the American people felt about such a hot topic - raising the federal minimum wage. We asked respondents whether they were for or against raising the federal minimum wage. If respondents answered YES, we asked them to provide what they thought that new wage should be. If respondents answered NO, we asked them to provide a reason why. Regardless of their YES or NO answer, all respondents were asked:
We ran our survey with Survey Monkey, and set the following criteria:
After the July 2019 passage of the 'Raise the Wage' Act, an Act that would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025, increasing the wage has been at the forefront of the Democratic platform. In fact, 21 of the Democratic Presidential Candidates favored a rise in the federal minimum wage. The general view among supporters is that the current minimum wage of $7.25 isn't enough for families to get by on, especially as inflation and cost of living continue to rise. On the other hand, Republicans argue that an increase in the federal minimum wage will lead to fewer new hires and more layoffs by small companies, and that states with a lower cost of living simply won't be able to afford a $15 minimum wage.
Although the ‘Raise the Wage' Act was passed in a Democrat-controlled House, it has not been taken up in the Republican-controlled Senate, and therefore has not reached President Trump's desk.
PRESIDENT
DONALD TRUMP
REPUBLICAN PARTY (INCUMBENT)
73 years old
Birthplace:
New York, NY
Previously:
Businessman, Television personality
Trump has made contradictory statements regarding minimum wage over the years, so his stance is not clear. However, he acknowledged the fight for a $15 federal minimum wage and said he's "looking at that".
RUNNING MATE
MIKE PENCE
REPUBLICAN PARTY (INCUMBENT)
61 years old
Birthplace:
Columbus, IN
Previously:
Governor of Indiana, US Representative
As a member of Congress, Pence voted against raising the minimum wage. In 2007, he voted against raising the minimum wage above $5.15. As governor, he blocked Indiana towns from setting their own minimum wages. Indiana currently adopts the federal minimum wage.
VS
JOE BIDEN
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
77 years old
Birthplace:
Scranton, PA
Previously:
US Senator from Delaware, Vice-President
Biden strongly supports raising the minimum wage to $15 and wants to eliminate the tipped minimum wage. He also supports indexing the minimum wage to the median hourly wage, a move that would allow the pay of low-wage workers to keep pace with middle income workers.
RUNNING MATE
KAMALA HARRIS
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
55 years old
Birthplace:
Oakland, CA
Previously:
US Senator, Attorney General of California
Kamala has supported a $15 minimum wage since 2017 when she joined other Senate Democrats in supporting the bill for an increased minimum wage. She says that America needs a living wage, and that "the current rate of $7.25 makes it impossible to support a family".
VS
JO JORGENSEN
LIBERTARIAN PARTY
63 years old
Birthplace:
Libertyville, IL
Previously:
Psychology professor at Clemson University
Jorgensen opposes raising the minimum wage and wants to eliminate all wage standards. Jorgensen is also against raising taxes on the rich, opposes a national income program, and generally believes governments should not interfere with the free market.
RUNNING MATE
SPIKE COHEN
LIBERTARIAN PARTY
38 years old
Birthplace:
Baltimore, MD
Previously:
Podcast host, founder of a web design business
Cohen opposes the existence of a federal minimum wage. He recognizes that people need more money because the cost of living continues to increase, but he asserts it is the "regulatory burdens that [the] government puts in place" at the root of the minimum wage problem.
VS
HOWIE HAWKINS
GREEN PARTY
67 years old
Birthplace:
San Francisco, CA
Previously:
Founder of the Green Party, trade unionist, environmental activist
Hawkins is pushing for a $20 minimum wage that would be "indexed to the cost of living" and guarantee an income above the poverty line.
RUNNING MATE
ANGELA NICOLE WALKER
GREEN PARTY
45 years old
Birthplace:
Milwaukee, WI
Previously:
American Labor Organizer, VP Nominee for the Socialist Party in 2016, bus and truck driver
Walker has not made a stance beyond supporting a living wage.
Governors set the state minimum wage in a process very similar to the federal minimum wage change process. The General Assembly must pass the bill, and the bill must then be signed into law by the Governor. If the Governor vetoes the bill but 2/3 of both chambers support the bill, the Governor's veto will be overridden. As could be expected, Governors' opinions on minimum wage closely follow party lines.
GOVERNOR
KAY IVEY
REPUBLICAN PARTY
75 years old
Birthplace:
Camden, AL
Previously:
Alabama State Treasurer, Lieutenant Governor
Ivey has not made her opinion clear, but there is pressure to restore Birmingham's scheduled 2016 minimum wage increase after the Alabama Uniform Minimum Wage and Right-to-Work Act was passed, which "bans cities from enacting an increase above the $7.25 federal minimum wage."
GOVERNOR
MIKE DUNLEAVY
REPUBLICAN PARTY
59 years old
Birthplace:
Scranton, PA
Previously:
State Senator
Dunleavy has not made his stance clear, but the statewide wage increased by 30 cents in 2020, now sitting at $10.19 an hour. By law, Alaska's minimum wage must always be at least $1 above the federal minimum wage.
GOVERNOR
DOUG DUCEY
REPUBLICAN PARTY
56 years old
Birthplace:
Toledo, OH
Previously:
CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, State Treasurer
Ducey does not support raising the minimum wage. In 2016, he threatened to "withhold revenue from cities and towns that enact their own wage and employment laws" in fear that it will hurt the AZ economy.
GOVERNOR
ASA HUTCHINSON
REPUBLICAN PARTY
69 years old
Birthplace:
Bentonville, AR
Previously:
U.S. Attorney, U.S. Congressman, Administrator of the DEA
Hutchinson supports raising the minimum wage and opposed "legislative efforts" to scale back a minimum wage hike that voters approved in 2018 that would raise the state minimum wage to $11 by 2021.
GOVERNOR
GAVIN NEWSOM
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
52 years old
Birthplace:
San Francisco, CA
Previously:
Mayor of San Francisco and Lieutenant Governor
Newsom supports a $15 minimum wage, and California is currently on track to reach $15 by 2023. However, the bill that was passed in 2016 allows the governor to suspend the wage increase if unemployment rises. Multiple business groups have asked Newsom to delay the wage progression due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but Newsom left the plan, as is, in the state's revised 20-21 budget.
GOVERNOR
JARED POLIS
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
45 years old
Birthplace:
Boulder, CO
Previously:
US Representative
Polis supports increasing the minimum wage and signed a law that brought the statewide minimum wage to $12 in 2020.
GOVERNOR
NED LAMONT
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
66 years old
Birthplace:
Washington, DC
Previously:
Selectman of Greenwich and Chairman of the State Investment Advisory Council
Lamont supports increasing the minimum wage to $15, and signed a law that will increase the state's wage to $15 by June 1, 2023.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
JOHN CARNEY JR.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY (INCUMBENT)
64 years old
Birthplace:
Wilmington, DE
Previously:
Lieutenant Governor, US Representative, Deleware Secretary of Finance
Primaries are scheduled for September, but incumbent John Carney Jr. is running for re-election. Carney has not yet committed to a proposal that would raise the minimum wage one dollar per year until it reaches $15 in 2024 over concerns about "how this may affect jobs in a down economy".
VS
COLIN BONINI
REPUBLICAN PARTY
55 years old
Birthplace:
Stanford, CA
Previously:
Delaware State Senator
Bonini has an apprehensive stance on raising the Delaware minimum wage. When the Delaware Senate passed the legislation for an increase in minimum wage in 2016, Bonini felt a "dramatic increase in minimum wage would limit job opportunities," and "we are going to be hurting the folks this bill is intended to support".
GOVERNOR
RON DESANTIS
REPUBLICAN PARTY
41 years old
Birthplace:
Jacksonville, FL
Previously:
Attorney, Naval Officer, Congressman
DeSantis is against raising the minimum wage to $15.
GOVERNOR
BRIAN KEMP
REPUBLICAN PARTY
56 years old
Birthplace:
Athens, GA
Previously:
State Senator, Secretary of State of Georgia
Kemp has not expressed his views, but his 2018 competitor for Governor, Stacey Abrams, criticized him for not supporting a living wage.
GOVERNOR
DAVID IGE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
63 years old
Birthplace:
Pearl City, HI
Previously:
State Senator
Ige supported a plan to increase the wage to $13 by 2024.
GOVERNOR
BRAD LITTLE
REPUBLICAN PARTY
66 years old
Birthplace:
Emmett, ID
Previously:
Lieutenant Governor
Little describes his goal as "to have everybody's wages going up, based on market conditions." He also views it as "a starting wage with the goal of trying to get people off of it as fast as we can."
GOVERNOR
J.B. PRITZKER
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
55 years old
Birthplace:
Atherton, CA
Previously:
Private business owner and a member of the Pritzker family, which owns Hyatt
Pritzker signed a $15 statewide minimum wage into law on Feb 19, 2019. It will reach $15 by Jan. 1, 2025.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
ERIC HOLCOMB
REPUBLICAN PARTY (INCUMBENT)
52 years old
Birthplace:
Vincennes, IN
Previously:
Lieutenant Governor
There has been little discussion about the minimum wage since Holcomb took office in 2017. Indiana follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25."
VS
WOODY MYERS
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
66 years old
Birthplace:
Indianapolis, IN
Previously:
Physician, Health Commissioner of Indiana
Myers advocates for a living wage but has not specified an exact amount.
GOVERNOR
KIM REYNOLDS
REPUBLICAN PARTY
61 years old
Birthplace:
Saint Chales, IA
Previously:
Lieutenant Governor
Reynolds opposes raising the state minimum wage above the current federal minimum of $7.25 and says she is "focusing on ways to help build skills for people to land career opportunities that pay well rather than pushing to raise the $7.25 hourly minimum wage in Iowa."
GOVERNOR
LAURA KELLY
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
70 years old
Birthplace:
New York, NY
Previously:
State Senator
When asked in early 2019, Kelly said "I believe that the minimum wage is too low, but I'm not ready to say what it should be."
GOVERNOR
ANDY BESHEAR
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
42 years old
Birthplace:
Louisville, KY
Previously:
Kentucky Attorney General
Beshear supports raising the minimum wage and backs legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2027.
GOVERNOR
JOHN BEL EDWARDS
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
53 years old
Birthplace:
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA
Previously:
Attorney, Democratic leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Edwards has been fighting for an increase in the state minimum wage for years, and supports a $10 wage by July 1 of 2021. There is currently no statewide minimum wage, so they follow the federal minimum of $7.25.
GOVERNOR
JANET MILLS
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
72 years old
Birthplace:
Farmington, ME
Previously:
Lawyer and State Attorney General
Mills supported efforts to increase the statewide minimum wage from $11 to $12, which became effective on January 1, 2020.
GOVERNOR
LARRY HOGAN
REPUBLICAN PARTY
64 years old
Birthplace:
Washington, DC
Previously:
Founder of Hogan Companies, a real-estate company
Hogan supports raising the state-wide minimum wage to $12.10 instead of $15. However, the Maryland General Assembly overrode Hogan's veto, and the wage is set to reach $15 by 2025.
GOVERNOR
CHARLIE BAKER
REPUBLICAN PARTY
63 years old
Birthplace:
Elmira, NY
Previously:
CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Massachusetts Cabinet Official
Baker supports raising the minimum wage and signed a bill into law that will raise the state's minimum wage to $15 by Jan. 1, 2023.
GOVERNOR
GRETCHEN WHITMER
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
48 years old
Birthplace:
Lansing, MI
Previously:
State Congresswoman, State Senator
Whitmer supports raising the statewide minimum wage to $15.
GOVERNOR
TIM WALZ
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
56 years old
Birthplace:
West Point, NE
Previously:
Congressman, Member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Walz supports increasing the state's minimum wage to $15.
GOVERNOR
TATE REEVES
REPUBLICAN PARTY
46 years old
Birthplace:
Florence, MS
Previously:
State Treasurer, Lieutenant Governor
Reeves is against raising the statewide minimum wage above the federal minimum wage.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
MIKE PARSON
REPUBLICAN PARTY (INCUMBENT)
64 years old
Birthplace:
Wheatland, MO
Previously:
Lieutenant Governor, Missouri Senator and Representative
Parson is against raising the minimum wage.
VS
NICOLE GALLOWAY
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
38 years old
Birthplace:
Fenton, MO
Previously:
State Auditor
Galloway supports raising the minimum wage, which is already set to reach $12 by 2023.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
GREG GIANFORTE
REPUBLICAN PARTY
59 years old
Birthplace:
San diego, CA
Previously:
US Representative, Co-founder of RightNow Technologies
Gianforte voted against the ‘Raise the Wage' Act as a member of Congress.
VS
MIKE COONEY
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
65 years old
Birthplace:
Washington, DC
Previously:
Lieutenant Governor, Montana Representative, Senator, and Secretary of State
Cooney supports a living wage but has not specified an amount.
GOVERNOR
PETE RICKETS
REPUBLICAN PARTY
56 years old
Birthplace:
Nebraska City, NE
Previously:
Worked for his father's company, TD Ameritrade
Ricketts is against raising the minimum wage as he feels "a minimum wage increase will hurt most the people it is intended to help — like those who work in small-town restaurants and cafes."
GOVERNOR
STEVE SISOLAK
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
66 years old
Birthplace:
Milwaukee, WI
Previously:
Chairman of the Clark County Commission
Sisolak supports raising the minimum wage and signed a bill in June of 2019 that will raise the state's minimum wage by $0.75 every year until it reaches $12.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
CHRIS SUNUNU
REPUBLICAN PARTY (INCUMBENT)
45 years old
Birthplace:
Salem, NH
Previously:
Member of the New Hampshire Executive Council, businessman, engineer
Sununu vetoed a bill that would have set the minimum wage to $10 in 2020 and $12 by 2022.
VS
DAN FELTES
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
41 years old
Birthplace:
Debuque, IA
Previously:
Attorney New Hampshire State Senator
Dan Feltes says an increase in the minimum wage is long overdue.
As Hampshire Senate Majority Leader, Feltes passed a bill that would have set the minimum wage to $10 in 2020 and $12 by 2022 that was vetoed by governor Sununu.
GOVERNOR
PHIL MURPHY
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
63 years old
Birthplace:
Needham, MA
Previously:
Ambassador to Germany, Finance Chairman for the Democratic National Committee
Murphy supports raising the minimum wage and signed a bill in February of 2019 that will increase the state's minimum wage to $15 by 2024.
GOVERNOR
MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
60 years old
Birthplace:
Los Alamos, NM
Previously:
Lawyer and U.S. Representative
Lujan Grisham supports raising the minimum wage and signed a bill into law that will increase the state's minimum wage to $12 by 2023.
GOVERNOR
ANDREW CUOMO
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
62 years old
Birthplace:
New York, NY
Previously:
U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, State Attorney General
Cuomo supports a $15 minimum wage statewide, which is already in motion and is set to be eventually implemented in all areas of the state in the coming years, although on a different schedule depending on the region.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
ROY COOPER
DEMOCRATIC PARTY (INCUMBENT)
63 years old
Birthplace:
Nashville, NC
Previously:
Attorney General of North Carolina
Cooper wants to raise the minimum wage as high as the General Assembly will allow him to, and says that "$15 is an admirable goal."
VS
DAN FOREST
REPUBLICAN PARTY
52 years old
Birthplace:
Harrisonburg, VA
Previously:
Architect and Lieutenant Governor
Forest has not made a statement about minimum wage.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
DOUG BURGUM
REPUBLICAN PARTY (INCUMBENT)
64 years old
Birthplace:
Arthur, ND
Previously:
Head of Microsoft Business Solutions
Burgum signed a bill that banned cities from increasing the minimum wage above the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
VS
SHELLEY LENZ
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Birthplace:
Killdeer, ND
Previously:
Veterinarian
Lenz has not made an official stance but she acknowledges that wages aren't keeping up with the increasing cost of living and wants to mitigate those costs.
GOVERNOR
MARK DEWINE
REPUBLICAN PARTY
73 years old
Birthplace:
Yellow Springs, OH
Previously:
Senator, State Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor
DeWine said he is open to the possibility of increasing the minimum wage, but has reservations about people losing their jobs because of it.
GOVERNOR
KEVIN STITT
REPUBLICAN PARTY
47 years old
Birthplace:
Milton, FL
Previously:
Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Gateway Mortgage Group
Stitt has not made his opinion on minimum wage clear, but legislation was filed in early 2020 to raise the minimum wage to $10.50.
GOVERNOR
KATE BROWN
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
60 years old
Birthplace:
Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
Previously:
Oregon Secretary of State
Brown supports raising the minimum wage, but scaled back her initial proposal from $15.52 to $14.50. Her new plan would have the statewide minimum wage reach $14.50 by 2022 and increase with inflation from then on.
GOVERNOR
TOM WOLF
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
71 years old
Birthplace:
Mount Wolf, PA
Previously:
Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue
Wolf supports an immediate rise in the minimum wage to $12, which he wants to gradually rise to $15.
GOVERNOR
GINA RAIMONDO
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
49 years old
Birthplace:
Smithfield, RI
Previously:
General Treasurer, Chair of the Democratic Governors Association
Raimondo supports an increase in the minimum wage, and recently signed a bill into law that raised the wage by one dollar to $11.50.
GOVERNOR
HENRY MCMASTER
REPUBLICAN PARTY
73 years old
Birthplace:
Columbia, SC
Previously:
State Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor
McMaster has not declared a stance on minimum wage, but South Carolina has no state minimum wage law, so they default to the federal wage of $7.25.
GOVERNOR
KRISTI NOEM
REPUBLICAN PARTY
48 years old
Birthplace:
Watertown, SD
Previously:
US Representative, South Dakota Representative
Noem has not made her opinion clear, but the state's minimum wage was increased to $9.30 in the beginning of 2020.
GOVERNOR
BILL LEE
REPUBLICAN PARTY
60 years old
Birthplace:
Franklin, TN
Previously:
President and CEO of Lee Company, an inherited family business
Lee has not made his stance clear, but Tennessee has no state minimum wage law so they default to the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
GOVERNOR
GREG ABBOTT
REPUBLICAN PARTY
62 years old
Birthplace:
Witchita Falls, TX
Previously:
State Attorney General
Abbott is against raising the minimum wage and called raising it from $7.25 to $10 "a job killer."
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
CHRIS PETERSON
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
45 years old
Birthplace:
West Valley City, UT
Previously:
Law Professor at the University of Utah
Peterson supports raising the minimum wage.
VS
SPENCER COX
REPUBLICAN PARTY
45 years old
Birthplace:
Fairview, UT
Previously:
Lieutenant Governor of Utah
Cox has not made a statement regarding minimum wage.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
PHIL SCOTT
REPUBLICAN PARTY (INCUMBENT)
62 years old
Birthplace:
Barre, VT
Previously:
Lieutenant Governor
Scott vetoed a bill that would increase the state's minimum wage.
VS
DAVID ZUCKERMAN
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
49 years old
Birthplace:
Boston, MA
Previously:
Lieutenant Governor, Businessman, Farmer
Zuckerman supports a $15 minimum wage.
GOVERNOR
RALPH NORTHAM
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
60 years old
Birthplace:
Nassawadox, VA
Previously:
Officer in the US Army Medical Corps, Lieutenant Governor
Northam supports raising the minimum wage to $15, although there is currently some backlash as he pushed the minimum wage increase to May of 2021, instead of its original date of January 2021, due to the pandemic.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
JAY INSLEE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY (INCUMBENT)
69 years old
Birthplace:
Seattle, WA
Previously:
Congressman and lawyer
Inslee supports a $15 minimum wage.
VS
LOREN CULP
REPUBLICAN PARTY
59 years old
Birthplace:
Everett, WA
Previously:
Police Chief of Republic, WA
Culp has not disclosed his opinion on minimum wage.
ELECTION
GOVERNOR
JIM JUSTICE
REPUBLICAN PARTY (INCUMBENT)
69 years old
Birthplace:
Charleston, WV
Previously:
Agricultural and coal mining businessman
Justice has not made his opinion clear on minimum wage.
VS
BEN SALANGO
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
46 years old
Birthplace:
No Data
Previously:
Kanawha County Commissioner, attorney, and small business owner
Salango has not released an official statement on minimum wage, but he is said to support raising it.
GOVERNOR
TONY EVERS
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
68 years old
Birthplace:
Plymouth, WI
Previously:
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Evers supports raising the statewide minimum wage to $15.
GOVERNOR
MARK GORDON
REPUBLICAN PARTY
63 years old
Birthplace:
New York, NY
Previously:
State Treasurer
Gordon has not made his stance public, but the state's minimum wage is currently set below the federal minimum wage at $5.15. However, employees are entitled to the federal minimum of $7.25.